Motor vehicle



May 6, 1924. 1,493,311 l L.. MY WOOLSON MOTOR `vEH1cLE jFiled April 2G 1920 Patented May 6;, 1924.

Unirse s'rArss ortica. f

LIONEL M. WOOISON, O1? DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO :PACKARDl MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

MOTO'R VEHICLE.

i Application fried April 26,1920. serial No. 376,533.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LIONEL M. WooLsoN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, Vayne County, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This inven-tion relates to motor vehicles,

and more particularly to steering knucklev mechanism therefor.

The invention has for its object to pro vide a construction of steering knuckle mechanism that may be easily operated and will be sensitive in operation to slight changes in pressure exerted thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction having improved wearing qualities whereby the mechanism will be adapted for use over extended periods of time without replacing the operative parts thereof.

Another object vide a construction having means for taking up wear on the bearing arts that sustain the load or the weight mi) the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide steering knuckle mechanism that may be easily and quickly assembled and taken apart.

Further objects will appear from the specification and from the drawings which form a part thereof, and in which the steering knuckle mechanism is illustrated in elevation, parts of the structure being broken away to show the details of the construction.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the steering knuckle member comprises a spindle 10, which is supported in the usual manner upon a wheel r11, and a pair of members 12 and 13, which are preterably formed integral with the spindle 10. The members 12 and 13 are vertically spaced apart and are provided with aligned bearing portions 14, the upper bearing portion receiving a flanged bushing 15 and the lower bearing portion receiving a flanged bushing 16. The steering knuckle members 12 and 13 are split and are provided with laterally extending ears 16 which are adapted to be drawn together, after the bushings 15 and 16 have been inserted, by means of nuts 17 these nuts being threaded onto the free ends of a steering knuckle lever 18 and a steering` l knuckle arm 19. A steering knuckle pin 17 iS of the invention is to pro` provided with an upper ,cylindrical portion 20, alower cylindrical portionc21', and an intermediate tapered portion 22, and this latte]` portion is seated in a correspondingly ta-A pered portion 23 of an axle 24. The cylindrical portion 20 of the steering knucklepin is received by the bushing 15, and the cylindrical portion 21 is disposed within a sleeve 25, which, in turn, is `positionedwithin the flanged bushing 16.

In o-rder to transmit the weightof Vthe axle to the steering knuckle, a washer 26 is interposed between the upper. endofthe' sleeve 25 and the .lower end ofl theportiofn 23 of the axle, and a washer 27 is positioned between thelower-end of the sleeve 25 and a nut 28, the latter being threaded onto the lower end 29 0f the steering knuckle pin 17 Q By drawing upthe nut 28'the pin 17 is secured in the end of the axle. The lower end 29 of the pin 17 is `provided witha spherical bearing surface y30, this surface seating on a ball 31, which in turn is seated on its diametrically oppositeside in a spherical bearing surface 32 formed on the upper end of an adjustable bearing member 33, the latter being screw threaded. into the lower end of a'cap 34. `The cap 34,* as illustrated in the drawings, is provided at'its upper end, as shown atV 35, with a series 'of screw threads which engage' corresponding screw threads formed on the lower end or the 'flangedbushing 16. A lock nut 36 engages the threads onthe adjustable bearing member 33 and locks'this'member in anyv desired position of adjustment. In order to prevent accidental turning of the cap 34, the upper outer surface of this cap is provided with a plurality of notches 37 and member 13 of the steeringknuckle has a notch 37.which notchesare adapted to re-y o a locking dog 38, the

ceive the upper end dogv being clamped ybe'- lower end of this tweenthe nut 36 andthe lowerend of the'A cap 34 and being provided with an aper ture through which the bearing member 33' -this tube is connected to a corresponding steering lmuckle arm at the opposite side of the vehicle.

In order to lubricate the bail bearing 31, the steering knuckle pin 17 is provided with a longitudinal opening 40 which extends throughout the length of the tube and conducts lubricant from a recess 41 formed in a cap 42 secured to the upper steering knuckle member 12, a grease cup (not shown) being carried by this cap and turnishing lubricant which will pass on wardly through the opening 40 and be distributed thereby t0 the ball bearing 31.

From the above description it will be seen that the weight of the vehicle transmitted through the axle will be carried by the ball bearing 31, this Weight being communicated through the washer 26, sleeve 25, washer 27, nut 28, and bearing 30 to the ball 31, and through the ball 31 to the bearing member 33, cap 34, and bushing 16, the flange on this bushing being supported on the knuckle member 13 and thus communicating the load to the spindle and supporting wheel.

By reason of the ball bearing and ot the means for lubricating this bearing, the weight of the vehicle will be supported in an eiiicient and practical manner, and it will at once be clear that the steering knuckle described ma-y be much more easily operated than the steering knuckles of ordinary construction.

It will also be evident that the device described may be easily and quickly assembled and taken apart, but in view of the detailed description in the specification o1E the structure, a specific description of the method of assembling and taking apart the device is not deemed necessary.

While I have in the above specification described one speciiic embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the yconstruction and arrangement of the various parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A steering knuckle comprising in bination a knuckle member, a bushing carried thereby and having a ange seated thereon, a cap secured to said bushing, a pin positioned in said bushing and having a spherical bearing surface, a bearing member carried by said cap and provided with a spherical bearing surface,

and a ball positioned between said spherical bearing surfaces.

2. A steering knuckle comprising in com-y bination a knuckle member, a bushing carried thereby and having a flange seated thereon, a cap adjustably secured to said bushing` a pin positioned in said bushing and having a spherical bearing surface, a bearing member adjustably carried by said cap Vand having a spherical bearing surface, and a ball positioned between said spherical bearing surfaces.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an axle and a wheel, of a knuckle pin secured to the axle, a knuckle member having a spindle mounted in the wheel and having a bearing for said pin, a hollow member detachably secured to said knuckle member, and a ball thrust bearing between said pin and said hollow member.

d. In a steering knuckle vehicles, the combination with the knuckle pin and the knuckle member, of a sleeve in said knuckle member, abearing for said pin in said sleeve, a hollow member threaded to said sleeve, and a thrust bearing between the end of said pin and said hollow member.

5. In a steering knuckle for motor vehicles, the combination with the knuckle pin and the knuckle member, of a sleeve in said knuckle member, a bearing for said pin in said sleeve, a hollow member threaded to said sleeve, and a ball thrust bearing in said hollow member adjustably arranged at the end of said pin.

6. In a steering knuckle, the combination with a knuckle pin and aknuckle member 3 of a sleeve mounted in said knuckle member and having a flange resting thereon, a cap threaded on said sleeve at the end opposite said flange, said cap securing said sleeve to said knuckle member, a bearing `for said knuckle pin in said sleeve, and a thrust bearing for said knuckle pin in said cap.

7. In a steering knuckle joint, the combination with a knuckle pin and a knuckle member, of a cap'detachably secured to said knuckle member, said pin having a bearing in said knuckle member and having its end extending into said cap, and an adjustable' bearing block in said cap, and a ball between said bearing block and the end of said pin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LIONEL M. WOOLSON.

for motor 

